Born to Be Blue Page #4

II:

II:

[trumpet falters]

II:

[indistinct chatter]

II:

- Nice.

- Hey, thanks a lot.

You guys are here every Sunday?

- Uh, yeah. You might want to

practice more on your own first.

- You know that's Chet Baker,

right?

- That's Chet Baker?

Holy f***, that's Chet Baker.

- Let's f***ing call him.

[gentle trumpet melody]

II:

- Whenever you're ready,

Ms. Azuka.

- Heaven gave us friendship

that we may open our hearts

and escape the secrets

that weigh upon us.

II:

Or I could try it

a different way.

I've got-Ive got lot of ideas.

- No, I think, uh-

I dont-I don't think

it's gonna work out.

II:

[knocking "Shave and A Haircut,

Two Bits"]

' Yes?

- Hey, yeah,

is-is Dick around?

- I'll see.

[sprinklers sputtering]

You'll never guess

who's at the door.

- Chet?

- Hey, Dick.

Am I getting you at a bad time?

You-you meditating

or something?

- You should try some.

- No, it's-it's corny, man.

- So I heard you were clean.

- I am. I'm clean.

Ever since the accident.

- Accident? How much you need?

Dick...

I just need a session, man.

- I heard you were playing

some pizza parlor.

- Yeah, yeah.

- I didn't even think

that that would be possible.

- You know,

it hurts a little bit,

but, uh, you know...

I'm blowing pretty-

pretty well, Dick, pretty well.

Good enough for a solo record,

you know, like old times.

- Not gonna happen, Chet.

- No, I-l got

a probation officer

breathing down my neck.

If I fall this time,

I'm gonna do

some-some real time,

you know.

I mean, I got-

Jane's pregnant.

I mean, I'm-

- You and Jane are together?

- Oh, yeah. Yeah.

- No, I can't help you

this time. Uh...

- Dick, you haven't even

heard me play.

- Good to see you, Chet.

Take care.

- [sighs]

[door opens]

Chet!

Give me the plant.

Give me the plant.

Jane really pregnant?

That's a start.

I'm sorry, Chet.

It's not like the old days.

Stay clean.

[door closes]

[soft music]

[bird screeches]

II:

[waves crashing]

[upbeat jazz music]

II:

II:

II:

[cheers and applause]

[indistinct chatter]

- Could you sign this for me?

- Oh, yeah, sure.

- I'll get you a beer, okay?

- Yeah, yeah, great.

What's your name?

- Sarah.

- Sarah?

- Sarah with an H.

- Yeah, okay.

And what's this here?

- It's just, um, a little gift

to help you relax up there.

- Oh, wow.

And you look like

such a good girl.

- I am a good girl.

Are you with her?

- Uh...

Yeah, you know.

- Yeah.

You should call me

if you ever want to explore

other instruments.

. Okay"

Well, thank you,

Sarah with an H.

Here's your record.

- Thank you.

- And here's your pen.

- Thank you.

- Hey, thanks.

- What was that about?

- Oh, nothing-

we were talking about Miles

and how he likes

to piss everybody off.

- Yeah, so do you, Chet.

- Yeah.

- What did she give you?

- Uh, some pamphlet.

- What did she give you, Chet?

- She gave me dope, okay?

I didn't ask for it.

She just gave it to me.

- Baker, Baker, Baker.

I'm Officer Reid.

We spoke on the phone

about your parole, yeah?

This isn't gonna cut it.

- Well, you don't like

the music, hmm?

You got any requests?

- [chuckles]

Yeah, I got a request.

How about you get a real job?

- "A Real Job?"

Is that Cole Porter?

I don't know "A Real Job."

- You know something?

When I was a boy, my dad,

he used to say to me

that if a man sits

in a barber's chair long enough,

eventually he's gonna

get a haircut.

- Wow, that's-

that's very meaningful.

It's, uh-it's wisdom like that

that really-

- Keeps you out of prison.

You do want to stay out

of prison, don't you?

- Yes, sir.

- Well, then, why don't you

do us both a favor

and get a real job

by the end of the week?

- What am I gonna do?

- You'll think of something.

- You think maybe we could get

some, like, proper gigs?

- You're not ready.

What are you gonna do

with that?

- Just go throw it away.

I didn't ask for it.

Dumb chick just gave it to me.

- No, no. I trust you.

- I O-o-oh I

I Who-o-o I

I Who-o-o, who-o-o I

I Who-o-o I

I Who-o-o I

I Whoo-o 'noo 'noo 'noo I

I Whoo! I

- You went and saw Dick, right?

What did he say?

- Told you.

He said no.

I mean, you know,

I'm not gonna beg him.

[sighs]

At this point,

I'd do anything.

[slow mariachi music]

II:

- Thanks for changing

your mind, Dick.

- I'm glad you called.

You know, it's almost worth it

to see Chet in a sombrero.

II:

[upbeat guitar melody]

- How is he doing?

- Oh, he's, uh, struggling.

- You said

he'd never play again.

- I don't know what's worse,

Chet not playing

or Chet playing mediocre.

- Well, it's gonna take

time, Dick. You know that.

II:

- How are you doing?

- I'm still here.

Give him a contract

over the summer.

- What are you?

His new manager?

- You jealous?

- No.

Uh, time here costs money.

- So put him in the back.

Mix him out.

- Oh, right, and of course

keep paying him.

- Listen, we need to eat.

So get us to do stuff.

We can paint walls, fix things,

whatever you need.

- Chet Baker, handyman.

II:

- He pumped gas in Oklahoma.

- You serious?

You know, this is the first time

I've seen him sweat.

Everything came so easily

for him musically.

I think that was

one of the problems.

- You think he'll ever play

high-level again?

II:

- Kill it.

- Somebody's out of tune.

It's not me.

Somebody's out of tune.

[mouthing]

[indistinct murmuring]

- Next.

[birds squawking]

[waves crashing]

- I mean, did you do the-

the line about the vegetables

like we talked about?

I mean, that was funny.

They didn't-

they didn't like that?

- This isn't

what I came here for.

- Hey, come on. People don't

know anything about talent.

Nothing at all.

I mean, think about it.

Most musicians today-

I mean, their playing

is 100 years ahead

of where the listeners'

ears are.

- I'm not talking

about talent.

I just want to get a job.

- You will. I promise.

- It was easier in New York.

Can we just be blue tonight?

- But I don't want to be blue.

I We'll have a blue room I

I For two, room, a new room I

I Where every day's a holiday I

I Because you're married to me I

I Not like a ballroom I

[lively trumpet melody]

[jazz music]

II:

- Chefs been showing up

every day?

- You-you read my report.

I mean, he's been

playing sessions,

and, uh, he's been helping out

around here.

- We painted those walls

over there.

- Okay, 'cause he's got

this probation review

coming up tomorrow, and

he's still short of hours, so...

- You guys take a break.

Chet?

Can you come up here

for a second?

- He's in trouble now.

- Hey, Mr. Baker.

- Hey, Officer Reid.

- I was just saying that you've

got this review tomorrow

and you're still shy

a few hours,

so I'm not sure how

we're gonna work that out.

- Uh, he can do

some work later.

I mean,

there's some drywalling to do.

I mean, if that helps.

- Yeah, yeah, that helps.

Can I stick around,

make sure that happens?

- Sure.

- I can't drywall tonight.

Your parents are flying in.

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